Of Lies and Aftermaths
by symboloflegacy
Summary: Chat Noir wants to know if Ladybug would give up her miraculous, just like she would for Adrien. (Reveal AU. Post Volpina)
1. Chapter 1

**Hey y'all! It's me again! I wrote a little thingy after watching Volpina, because I have too much feelings. So, this is how I imagine a kind of reveal au. I'm sure someone already wrote a similar idea, but oh well, here we gooo….**

 **(Find me on Tumblr as miitzwrites ;))**

 **ooooo**

"Hey, Kitty, you seem troubled today."

The sweet voice of Ladybug brought him back to the present. Before she arrived to their usual spot, Chat Noir had been thinking about the incident with Volpina. The images of his Lady, distressed over Adrien Agreste, shook him, but what he couldn't forget was that she was ready to give up her miraculous.

For him. But not for the real him.

He should be flattered, maybe even thrilled that Ladybug cared too much about him and his safety, but instead, he felt sadness. Would she sacrifice her miraculous for Chat Noir, too?

"Can I ask you something, LB?" He asked, a little unsure about her reaction.

"Sure thing, Chat."

"Why do you care about the Agreste boy?"

Her eyes widened almost comically, and in another time, he would have teased her for it, but he remained in silence, waiting for her answer.

"Why wouldn't I? He was a civilian in danger, or well, that's what Volpina made us believe." She replied, and he could see a faint blush on her cheeks.

"You were about to give her your earrings, LB. You'd never done that before." The realization struck him then, and he let out a soft, somber laugh. "You like him, don't you?"

Ladybug blushed even harder, "Chat, we're not supposed to talk about our civilian personas." She tried to deflect the question, but the way he was looking at her, made her accept her feelings. He was her partner, he would understand her. "Okay, Chat. I do like Adrien."

"Why?" He inquired in a cutting voice, that surprised Ladybug. "Why wouldn't I like him? He's great, he's kind, and smart, and sweet, and fun to hang out with. He's also super cute, he, but you shouldn't know that. Oh, and he's.-"

"He's a lie, Ladybug." Chat stated, without giving her space to argue. "He's not what you think he is. You hate liars, don't you? What if he had pretended to be the perfect boy to live by everyone's standards?"

"You don't know what you're saying, Chat!" Ladybug answered angrily, and turned to leave when she saw a green light shining on the corner of her eyes. "Look at me," he whispered, and she shook her head, then, in a more demanding voice, he added, "Look at me and tell me that you still want to give up your miraculous after finding out that your precious Adrien is no other but me!"

Ladybug gasped, and turned to face him. Her expression reflected nothing but confusion and shock. "You understand now, Ladybug? Adrien is a formulated lie that pleases the others, my father, my teachers, even my friends. But Chat? He's the realest I have ever been in my whole life."

But Ladybug couldn't mutter a word. This wasn't how she wanted to find out Chat's identity. Hell, she wasn't sure if she ever wanted to find out.

"Don't look so disappointed, my Lady. I promise I won't change the perfect image of Adrien Agreste."

Plagg floated between them, his brow furrowed. "Okay, kid, you've said enough, let's go." Adrien nodded, and called his transformation again. He directed a sad smile to his Lady, before using his baton to jump off the building.

Oooo

Later that night, Marinette lied on her bed, with Tikki petting her head. "I'm sorry, Marinette, you two weren't supposed to meet yet."

"But Tikki, he was right, I failed him, as a partner and friend. I let him down."

"You couldn't know what he was feeling, Marinette."

"I know, Tikki, but he needs to know that I like him for who he is. For the person I saw that day under the rain, not for the model or the perfect boy, but for him."

"Are you ready to tell him who you are?"

Marinette didn't answer right away. He could understand to some extent how he felt, and the pressure he was under. But now that she knew who her trusted partner really was, she was worried he would be disappointed.

Tikki hovered over her, with a kind smile. "He needs a friend, Marinette, and so do you. Now that you know him, you can help each other out."

"And how can I do that, Tikki?"

"Well, you can start by being the person that Chat needd right now."

Before Marinette could ask what she meant, Tikki flew to the other side of the bedroom, hiding from view. Then, she heard soft knocks on the trap door that led to her balcony, and a voice that she came to know too well.

"Princess, are you up? May I come in?"

 **Ooooo**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey y'all, I'm back again, and let me tell you something, I'm in awe! Like seriously, never in a million years would I've imagined that a simple drabble would get this kind of attention, which I frankly appreciate. Without your comments and support, I wouldn't have continued this.**

 **So here we go, a nice reveal au featuring Ladybug and Chat Noir, which I hope you all enjoy.**

 **If this was what you were waiting for, please do let me know, and if it's not, well, shoot me an ask!**

 **Remember to send me your prompts on tumblr miitzwrites**

 **As always, this piece was unbeta'ed and English isn't my first language.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **(I'm not 100% sure ir I will continue this, but if you all are still interested, next chapter will have some nice ladriem for you all!)**

Ooooo

"Princess, are you up? May I come in?"

Chat's voice startled her. After their little exchange of words, she thought that Adrien, eh, Chat, would go directly to his house. Or maybe he would go to Nino's. Definitely, she wasn't expecting him there. Marinette shot a last glance at Tikki, who was hidden safely in her basket of clothes, and then she opened her trap door.

"Chat Noir? What are you doing here?" She didn't need to feign the surprise in her voice, which came out a little shaky. "Is there an akuma or something?"

Chat landed beside her bed on fours, an easy smile on his lips. "No, nothing like that, Princess. I just thought I should pay a visit to one of my favorite citizens."

"Well, I am fine, see? You should go home, Chat."

But Chat didn't listen to her. Instead, he descended the short stairs that led to her work station. Marinette followed him. "Okay, this isn't exactly a friendly visit. I actually came here because you seem like a nice girl, and I need some advice, if you don't mind."

Marinette crossed her arms over her chest, feeling a little unsettled. In a different time, she would be excited to have Adrien in her room, but right now, she was confused. Sure, her crush was there, standing in front of her, but also her friend and partner, and her mind was having a hard time trying to conciliate that Chat and Adrien were the same person.

"I am sure you have more friends, don't you? More trust worthy than me. Why don't you go and talk to them?" She didn't mean to sound harsh, but she needed someone to talk to as much as he did. "I'm not sure they could understand," Chat distractedly said, and before he could explain himself, his set his eyes on the wall that was adorned by Adrien's photographs. Marinette noticed him, and was too late to try to put them away.

"So, you like golden boy, too?" He asked with bitterness on his voice. "I'm sorry, Marinette. I didn't mean to bother you. I'll see myself out." Before he could climb the stairs, Marinette grabbed his hand, stopping him. "No, Chat, you're not bothering me. I had a rough day, that's it, but you clearly need to talk to someone. Let me be that person for you."

Chat stared at her, and slowly nodded. "Thank you, Marinette," his lips curled up slightly, and she let go his hand. "Aren't you hungry, Chat? I'll be right back." He saw her disappear then, and Chat called out his transformation.

"Kid, what are you doing? Your father is going to kill you if he doesn't find you in your room." The little god complained, floating around Adrien. "He's out of town for the night, Plagg. We'll be fine if we stay for a little longer."

Plagg was about to argue, but he caught a subtle movement on the corner of his eye. He sniffed the air, and noticed certain sweetness that he had come to adore. "Oh boy," he whispered, and a smirk appeared on his lips. Before he could go and investigate the source of such a sweet smell, they heard Marinette returning to her room, so Adrien quickly transformed again into Chat Noir.

"I brought some sweets. Croissants and macaroons, and hot chocolate," Marinette announced as she closed the trap door behind her. Chat didn't wast time, and immediately devoured a croissant, and took a big sip from his mug. "It's delicious, Princess," he said between bites, "Thank you."

Marinette giggled, and a part of her wondered if their relationship would be like this if he knew her identity. Chat looked so care free, more relaxed, as if nothing could ever worry him. Was it really a burden to act like Adrien every day?

"Do you wanna talk know?" She tentatively asked as Chat finished his hot chocolate. He put down the mug, and kept his eyes down. He didn't know where to start. "I had a rough day, too," he began, pacing, trying to sort our his thoughts, "and after Volpina, well, something happened that made me realize something about Ladybug that I couldn't see before."

Marinette knew where this conversation was going, so she closed her eyes, and breathed out, waiting for him to continue. "I like her, but maybe not the real her, you know. I only see the bits of her that she allows me to see, but not the whole picture. Does that make sense?"

"And why are you telling me this, Chat?"

"Because she only likes one side of me that most people like, but not the whole me. Just like you and golden boy. You like him, but do you really know him?"

For the second time that night, Marinette was surprised. How was she supposed to answer when she wasn't sure of anything? "Maybe I don't know him as well as I'd like to," she answered honestly, "but when I met him, I thought he was another bully rich boy. It turned out, he was more than that. He apologized for something that he didn't do, and then he gave me his umbrella." For a moment, Marinette had that dreamy look on her face that Chat couldn't ignore, letting out a soft chuckle.

"Are you laughing at me?" She asked, a little offended by his reaction, but Chat shook his head, "No, it's not that, Princess. I find it cute that you like him because of a damn umbrella."

"It's more than that, Chat. He was kind and sweet, but he usually is. He never mocks me when I can't form a complete sentence in front of him, or when I'm clumsy and trip over my feet. He's always willing to help, and never lets you down. And I think, that is hard to fake."

Chat was left speechless. He considered Marinette a friend, sure, but the way she talked about him, was something unexpected. He cleared his throat, and rubbed the back of his neck, a little nervous. "Would you, huh, would you be disappointed if he isn't who you think he is?"

"No," Marinette replied automatically, without a sign of doubt in her voice. She didn't have the chance to answer as Ladybug, but following Tikki's advice, she had now the chance to be friend that Chat needed. "As long as he is a good person, I don't see how I could be disappointed."

In an impulse, Chat pulled her into a hug, wrapping his arms around her smaller form. Slowly, she returned the hug, embracing his middle. "Thank you," he whispered against the crown of her head, and she only nodded.

Chat pulled away first, and smiled a little embarrassed. "I, ah, I gotta go. It's late. But thanks, Marinette, for everything."

"No problem, Chat. And you're welcome to come by anytime."

"If you promise more free food, this old cat will return back soon."

Marinette smiled warmly at him, and watched him climb up the stairs. He opened the trap door that led to the balcony, and went outside.

Minutes later, Tikki appeared in front of Marinette, with a smile on her little face. "See? You feel better now, don't you?"

"Not exactly, Tikki. What will he think if he finds out that I am Ladybug?"

"You're his friend, Marinette, and nothing will change that?"

"Why are you so sure?"

"Call it intuition."


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey everyone!**  
 **As I promised, here it is the next part! I'm not going to lie, new fandoms have dragged me away from MLB, but here it is the new chapter.**  
 **Also, thank you guys for your comments encouraging me to continue this story! That means the world to me!**

 **As always, english isn't my first language, and this piece was unbeta'ed.**  
 **Find me on tumblr as miitzwrites**  
 **Enjoy!**

* * *

The days passed, and the young heroes didn't fix their relationship. And, when Marinette had a serious talk with Mister Fu for the first time, his doubts complicated her feelings.

If Gabriel Agreste had the ancient book that kept the secrets of the miraculouses, could he be Hawkmoth?

They weren't so sure, but in the stress of the moment, fighting against the Collector, he told her Chat her doubts.

She shouldn't have done that.

The usual green lime color of his eyes turned into an acidic shade, giving him a wilder look. She wanted to apologize, but it was late.

Later, when the fight ended, and she purified the akuma, she was relieved to see Gabriel hugging his son.

But her mind didn't leave her alone. So, she made the "most reasonable" thing to do in their situation.

She visited Adrien late at night.

The window was opened, and with a swing of her yo-yo, she let herself in, watching as the blonde boy do something on his computer, and a small, black figure hanged on his shoulder.

"Kid, you have visits." The small creature, who she knew was Plagg, his kwami, said. He flew over to her, bowing slightly. "My, Tikki's protégé is pretty. I'm Plagg, Chat's kwami. Pleased to meet ya, LB."

"Likewise, Plagg," Ladybug answered, shifting her attention to Adrien, who seemed unfazed by her presence. "Could you give us a minute alone?"

"Sure thing. Tell Tikki I wanna see her, soon! She promised she'd give me one of the delicatessens that her girl makes for her." With that, Plagg disappeared in the shadows of the room, giving both teens some privacy.

"Can we talk, Adrien?"

"Why? So, you can keep implying that my dad is the worst person in Paris?" His bitterness was accentuated by the hard look he threw at her over his shoulders. "I've heard enough."

"I'm sorry," she apologized, taking a step closer to him, "It's just… he had this book, and it's important to us. In the wrong hands, it could mean our end."

That peeked Adrien' curiosity. "You mean the book with Hawkmoth and the others? Why is it so important?"

"I can't tell you, yet but. -" Adrien threw his hands up in the air, dramatically, not that he cared at the moment that he looked like a fifteen spoiled boy. But he was tired of lies and half-truths.

"Another thing you can't tell me. Is it too bad to have me as your partner? I thought I deserved a little bit more of your trust."

"No, Adrien, don't say that. You're the best partner."

"Then what it is?"

"I promised not to tell you anything until it's time for you to know," Ladybug replied, admiring the serious frown in Adrien's face. "And I don't think I'm ready to tell you who I am."

Adrien looked up at her. Her cheeks had a pretty pink blush, making her eyes look bigger and bluer if that was even possible. He got up from his seat, and walked up to her, stopping right in front of her. How did her cheeks look even redder?

"Why do you like Adrien?" he asked, voice suddenly soft and uncertain.

"Because he's one of the kindest people I know," she replied, trying extra hard to keep her eyes on him and not to stutter as she spoke.

"And why don't you like Chat?" he was getting bolder, lifting his hand to touch the strands of one of her pigtails.

"I always thought, if you wouldn't exist, I would give Chat a chance," she said, holding her breath for a moment.

"Being Chat has given me more freedom that I have ever had, but you just like so many others, prefers me as Adrien."

She took his hand, and his eyes widened. "Without Adrien, I wouldn't have my partner and best friend."

"I wanna know you better," he murmured, soft, taking a small step closer to Ladybug, observing her small freckles on her cheeks and nose. "And I want you to know me more. Can you do that for me?"

"I'm not sure," she answered with all honesty. With this closeness, it was easy to spot the small scar on his right eye. Did he fall down as a child? She wanted to know more of him in that instant, but, "But it wouldn't be fair for you. I have my reservations to reveal myself to you, not only because it may be dangerous to know each other's identity, but also because I'm afraid you might see me and be disappointed."

"Just like you are with me?"

"The guy I like, and my best friend are the same person. I'm definitely the luckiest," a small, nervous laugh slipped from her lips, and Adrien couldn't help but smile a little. "When this is over, and Hawkmoth is incarcerated, I promise you, you will be the first to know my identity. Until then, let me have my best friend back, please."

Adrien couldn't say no to that face, to those eyes that shone under the soft light of his bedroom, and in an impulse, he leaned down, kissing her forehead. "We're a team, aren't we?"

"An invincible team," she nodded, and a single tear rolled down her cheeks. "I have to go, but let's do patrol sometime this week, right?"

Adrien nodded, stepping back to bow down and kiss her hand, "See you later, my lady."

A small giggle erupted for Ladybug's lips, "See you later, kitty." Using her yo-yo, she jumped out Adrien's window, back into the night.

"You have it bad, boy," Plagg said out of nowhere, munching a piece of cheese, watching how his holder hadn't moved for a solid minute.

"You had no idea Plagg," Adrien replied, sign in softly. "Hey Plagg, did you know who she is?"

The little god almost choked on his cheese, "Why would you think that?"

"I'm curious. If you keep in touch with her kwamii, then you have to know something."

"I'm not telling you anything, kid," the little black god crossed his tinny arms over his chest. "Just trust this girl. Tikki always has the best holders, and this one is smart and skilled."

"But Plagg.-"

"No, no. Listen to me for once. We, the cats, work better in the shadows, so we can launch an attack that no one expects. But the ladybugs are supposed to fly and interest people, so they are in the front. You think I don't know Tikk's hiding something from me? Of course, I do! She's a little monster, you see, the wisest of the kwamiis, and so I trust her because, without her, I wouldn't exist." The firm and confident voice of his kwamii surprised Adrien. When he nodded, Plagg added, "and don't push her. Everyone deals differently when they have a miraculous. She was scared, and you were a little idiot who didn't let me finish the instructions."

"Hey! Don't be mean!"

"Okay, okay. You got my point, alright? Don't push her or you'll lose her. And, if you wanna know something, we and the ladybugs are meant to be, though that doesn't mean a life of happiness. Sometimes, it means tragedy. Give her and yourself some time. And if everything works out well, you will be with your little girlfriend, and I'll be back with my Tikk."

"So, you and LB's kwamii are. -"

"End of the kwamii-protégé talk!" Plagg yelled, and flew to Adrien's bed, hiding under the covers.

A smile formed on his lips, and, although things didn't work out as planned, he didn't feel as disappointed as before.


End file.
